On this day, May 5, 1903, James Beard, US culinary expert, author (Delights & Prejudices), was born in Portland, Ore.
Also on this day, May 5, 1945, A Japanese balloon bomb exploded on Gearhart Mountain in Oregon, killing Mrs. Elsie Mitchell, the pregnant wife of a minister, and five children after they attempted to drag it out the woods in Lakeview, Oregon. The balloon was armed, and exploded soon after they began tampering with it. They became the 1st and only known American civilians to be killed in the continental US during World War II.
Also on this day, May 5, 1945, Bly minister Archie Mitchell, his pregnant wife Elsie, and five children from Mitchell's Sunday school class were on a Saturday morning picnic. Thirteen miles northeast of Bly, or about sixty miles northeast of Klamath Falls, Mitchell parked the car, and Elsie and the children headed to Leonard Creek. Mitchell later remembered: "As I got out of the car to bring the lunch, the others were not far away and called to me they had found something that looked like a balloon. I heard of Japanese balloons so I shouted a warning not to touch it. But just then there was a big explosion. I ran up there--and they were all dead." It was a Japanese balloon bomb. They were 70 feet tall with a 33-foot diameter paper canopy connected to the main device by shroud lines. Balloons inflated with hydrogen followed the jet stream at an altitude of 30,000 feet.
Berschauer will continue to lead the county
Progressive Yamhill, Save Yamhill County, AFSCME, The Yamhill County Democratic Party, lame duck Commissioner Casey Kulla and the Recall PAC were all disappointed when the County Clerk declared their petition to recall County Commissioner Lindsay Berschauer short of the required amount of verified signatures after 5 pm. on Wednesday. Over 8,000 signatures were turned in but enough were disqualified leaving the petition short of the required 6875 signatures.
Volunteers from the groups list above, with a dozen Yamhill Republican Party members representing Berschauer’s interest, observed the signature verification process over six days. Normally petitions with over 4000 signatures are sampled rather than having each signature inspected. The sampling method quickly threw out over 1500 signatures bringing loud protests from the petitioners. In this instance the County Clerk decided that due to the presence of attorneys for both sides and the high profile nature of the recall attempt, each signature would be verified.
The signature gathering process involved numerous $18 an hour individuals from the Metro area who may have lacked familiarity with proper procedure. Some signatures contained a happy face, unlike the signature as it appears on a drivers license. Few signers read the charges against Berschauer that were listed. Those charges included false statements. False statements are allowed on recall petitions due to the political nature of the initiative. Several refused to sign stating that disagreements on policy choices of elected officials should be decided when they run for re-election.
The disgruntled vowed to make another attempt at recall. The names and addresses of all who signed the petition are now public record. Because recalls are rare in Yamhill County the Secretary of State’s office was asked to offer guidance. Even with full oversight, Save Yamhill County questioned The County Clerk’s integrity in spite of his impeccable record of fair and impartial public service spanning more than a decade. Numerous complaints against Save Yamhill County involving improper reporting of expenditures starting in August are outstanding. A recall election would have cost the County $90,000.
--Tom Hammer| Post Date: 2021-11-11 09:44:25 | Last Update: 2021-11-11 09:54:03 |
